As reported in the P-I, Seattle-area ravers flocked to the Internet Saturday to learn whether people they knew had been killed in Saturday’s Capitol Hill shooting. While police hadn’t identified the victims Saturday, posters at the myspace groupm Seattle Ravers were mourning friends they identified as Deacon, Patches aka nameless, jeremy chickenhed, and Sushi.
Writers at Candyrave.com and nwtekno.org posted lists of survivors and asked after people who hadn’t been heard from. “Anyone know if Slinky (Ryan) and Toby (DJ STEELE) R OK?” one poster asked at nwtekno.org. “I am worried … please let me know.” Posters on myspace.com and nwtekno.org swapped rumors about who had been killed in the shooting.
One poster gave an alleged “first hand account” of the shooting at candyrave.com saying “I was right here when it happened. it was the scariest thing ive ever experienced. … the party was calming down, some people were out on the front porch smoking, and i thought it was somebody banging really hard on the wall from out there over and over again, turned out o be gunshots … a guy was laid up against the door with gunshot wounds all over his chest and stomach. he collapsed into the house and two other people came in announced they were shot. then i heard more gunshots so i loked at my brother and said, “come on NOW!” and me him and jason and dar ran out he back dor as fast as we could and jumped a fence to the neighbors house. Jesus was shot multiple times and maybe even killed …” [24×7]
Microsoft Reorganizes Windows Unit
Microsoft Corp. announced a broad reorganization Thursday of the unit that produces its flagship Windows operating system, two days after the company said the new consumer version of Windows would not be ready for the holiday season as planned.
The Redmond-based software maker said the changes are aimed at helping improve its online strategy. Companies such as Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. are developing Internet-based products that pose a threat to Microsoft’s desktop-bound Windows and other programs.
The company said a reorganized Platforms and Services division will be made up of eight new and existing groups, including the Windows and Windows Live Group, led by Steven Sinofsky, who currently heads development of company’s Office business software system.
Other groups will focus on core operating system, online business products, and the servers and software tools businesses.
As previously announced, Jim Allchin, co-president of the Plaforms and Services division, will retire next year. Until then, he and co-president Kevin Johnson will continue to lead the division, while Sinofsky will focus on planning future versions of Windows.
Last September, Microsoft announced a restructuring — aimed at reducing bureaucracy and improving the company’s ability to compete with Web-based rivals — that moved the company’s seven business units into three divisions. [24×7]
FEC offers Rules on Web Politics
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has proposed rules that would leave almost all Internet political activity unregulated. The proposal would, however, require that paid advertisements for federal candidates on the Internet be regulated by federal campaign law.
There has been an explosion of political activity on the Internet, and political bloggers who offer diverse views say they should be free of government regulation.
In a summary of the proposal, the FEC said Friday the rules “are intended to ensure that political committees properly finance and disclose their Internet communications, without impeding individual citizens from using the Internet to speak freely regarding candidates and elections.”
The revised definition includes paid Internet advertising placed on another person’s Web site but does not encompass any other form of Internet communications.
A recent federal-court decision on campaign-finance law held that the previous definition of “public communication” impermissibly excluded all Internet communications. [24×7]
Fidelity to Open ‘Store’ on Amazon
Fidelity Investments, seeking to broaden its reach among consumers, has struck a marketing agreement with Amazon to sponsor a new financial services “store” and peddle products such as stocks and mutual funds on the Amazon Web site.
Under the arrangement, Amazon customers can access the Fidelity-sponsored Web page from separate links on Amazon’s home page. Once there, they can browse through tips and advice about topics such as college savings and retirement planning and then click on links to Fidelity’s Web site, where they can purchase products like stocks, mutual funds, retirement accounts, or college savings plans.
Fidelity previously has advertised on Internet portals such as Yahoo, MSN and AOL. But its deal with Amazon, and the “store” they have launched jointly, is Fidelity’s first online partnership with an e-tailer. While the agreement gives Fidelity so-called “premier sponsorship” for the financial page, it is a non-exclusive deal, meaning Amazon could sign other sponsors. Neither Fidelity nor Amazon would disclose financial terms of the agreement. [24×7]
